Weekly Zoroastrian Scripture Extract # 108 – Zarathushtra will escort righteous men/women over the Chinvat Bridge - but not the wicked ones - Gatha Ushtavaiti 46 Verses 10 - 11 Hello all Tele Class friends: Today is Shehenshahi Dae Mahino (month) and Behram Roj (day).

Many of our Humdins all over the world perform Mushkel Aasaan prayers every Friday and especially on every Behram Roj.

For the last many a months, each Behram Roj, our own Dinyar Bhai Mehta and his Orlando associates perform Mushkel Aasaan Prayers and in his own words, here is the invitation for today’s prayers:

“Hello Friends, As you are all aware that we have been performing the Mushkali Asaan Behram Yazad prayers every month on Behram Roz and donate the food after the prayers to a charitable organization in need. We would like to once again invite you on the Behram Roz on Wednesday June 3, 2015 at 4.00 PM at the Wingate By Wyndham Orlando International Airport located at 5750 Hazeltine National Drive Orlando, FL 32822 to join us for the prayers and then to help us serve the food to Russell Home , a home for Atypical Adults located off Holden Ave at the intersection of Holden Ave and Orange Avenue.

The food will be served at 5.15 PM where we will be serving around 25 Adults. Please RSVP and let us know at the earliest so that we can make arrangements for the meeting room set up at the Wingate. We always appreciate your help and support. Thank you. Dinyar Mehta ”

What a wonderful Parsi Charity tradition Dinyar Bhai has started and continue to do so each month! My hats off to him for this “Parsi Thy name is Charity” innovation and we wish him and his associates all the best for continuing this every month on Behram Roj! Thank you Dinyar Bhai for this wonderful initiative.

Many of you ask me what happens to a person after he/she passes away. Per our education from our childhood, we have been told that the soul of the departed stays on this earth for 3 days and 3 nights and on the 4th day early dawn (Hoshbaam), the soul appears on the Chinvat Bridge (: Chinvato Peretu) where Sarosh, Meher and Rashne Yazads judge the deeds of the soul throughout his/her life and determine if the soul is worthy of the Garo Demana (The House of Songs) – the Heaven – or is assigned to the House of the wicked (Garo Druj) – .

Our own Vakshur-e-Vakshuran Zarathushtra Spitamaan in his Ushtavaiti Gatha, Yasna 46, Verses 10 – 11, actually states this judgment and declares that he himself will accompany the soul of the righteous over the Chinvat Bridge to the House of Songs! Whereas the soul of the wicked will never cross the Chinvat Bridge and falls down to Hell!

With that as the background, let us present to you the two verses from Ushtavaiti Gatha, Yasna 46 Verses 10 – 11 where Zarathushtra discusses Chinvat Bridge:

Zarathushtra will escort righteous men/women over the Chinvat Bridge - but not the wicked ones Gatha Ushtavaiti Yasna 46 Verses 10 - 11 (Please hear the attached .mp3 file for its recitation)

(10) Yeh vaa moi naa genaa vaa Mazdaa Ahuraa, Daayaat angheush yaa too voista vahishtaa, Ashim ashaai Vohu Khshathrem Mananghaa, Yaaschaa hakhshaai khshmaavataam vahmaai aa, Fro taaish vispaaish chinvato frafraa Peretum.

(11) Khshathraaish yujen Karapano Kaavayascha, Akaaish shyaothanaaish ahum merengeidyaai mashim, Yeng khve urvaa khvaechaa khraodat daenaa, Hyat aibi-gemen yathraa Chinvato Peretush, Yavoi vispaai drujo demaanaai astayo.

Zarathushtra will escort righteous men/women over the Chinvat Bridge - but not the wicked ones Gatha Ushtavaiti Yasna 46 Verses 10 – 11

(10) The man or woman who performs the work which has been declared as best by Thee, O Mazda, in this world such a person shall enjoy and Khshathra's reward which is spiritual strength and serving of humanity, the said spiritual strength can only be achieved through Vohuman. I shall teach them, O My Lord, to worship Thee alone, and shall guide them when they march across the Chinvat Bridge.

(11) Kavians and Karapans, the devil worshipping priests and princes are united and try to destroy the spiritual or true lives of the people by their evil deeds; but when they approach the judgment bridge, they are ashamed of their souls and inner selves which shall chide them as they fall down in the abode of the untruth, where they are obliged to dwell forever.

(Translation of the Holy Song of Zarathustra, from Persian into English by Mobed Firouz Azargoshasb, March 1988, San Diego, California.)

SPD Comments

1. Please note that Chinvat Bridge is also mentioned in Yasna 51.13; Yasna 71.16 and 13.3. 2. Also, a vivid description is given in the second Fargarad of the Hadokht Nask about what happens to the soul of a virtuous man/woman on one hand and the soul of a wicked man/woman on the other hand.

May the Flame of Fellowship, Love, Charity and Respect for all burn ever eternal in our hearts so we can do HIS work with humility, diligence and eternal enthusiasm!

Atha Jamyaat, Yatha Aafrinaamahi! (May it be so as we wish!)

Love and Tandoorasti, Soli